Page 85 - Phonebox Magazine November 2015

Newport Pagnell Town Football Club
Inconsistent Performances
Last month I suggested that the outcome of the then league leaders Kirby Muxloe’s visit to Willen Road on 10th October should give some indication of whether Newport Pagnell Town can be serious title challengers this season. I had
reckoned without the inconsistency of performances that we have seen since then.
One week before the Kirby Muxloe match Newport struggled to overcome the bottom team away at Huntingdon, needing a second half comeback to win 3-2 after going two goals down in the first half. The following Saturday was a complete contrast as they impressed supporters at Willen Road with a superb performance to inflict Kirby Muxloe’s first league defeat of the season. The score was only 1-0 but with a little more luck Newport’s second half dominance could have produced another 2 or 3 goals. Three days after that the good form continued with a 3-0 win in a midweek match away at Eynesbury Rovers, and they looked set for a good run of results.
A Willen Road crowd, expecting to see another good performance on the next Saturday, saw instead a very disappointing 1-0 defeat against a Wisbech team that had not won in its previous seven league matches. In a fairly scrappy first half, Wisbech took a 1-0 lead with an excellent long range shot. Newport looked more positive and had the better of the game in the second half, but they lacked the sharpness of the previous two matches and could not turn their pressure into goals.
The players in the current Newport Pagnell Town squad look capable of beating any team in the United Counties League Premier Division when they play at their best, but they do not yet seem to have the consistency to mount a serious title challenge. Currently sixth in the league, a top four finish is perhaps a realistic target.
As a result of some fixture rearrangement, there is now only one home
Olney Win County Trophy
Peter Trunkfield Memorial trophy
Olney RFC has been awarded the Peter Trunkfield Memorial trophy, given by the
Buckinghamshire RFU each year to a club which upholds the values of rugby – friendship, hospitality and sportsmanship.
Peter Trunkfield was a great servant of Bucks rugby and was the RFU representative for the county for many years. Eventually he rose to become RFU president in 1998-99, but he remained a
great supporter of grass roots rugby and the amateur game.
The trophy, named after Peter who sadly died in 2010, is given to the club which the Bucks RFU feels upholds the principles of the game that Peter felt so passionately about. Olney RFC President Mannie Howkins, above, was presented with the trophy at a special sponsors lunch last weekend.
match currently scheduled in November. Away matches include a difficult trip to current league leaders Leicester Nirvana.
The recent publication of the annual survey of ticket prices has once again focussed attention on the high cost in the top four divisions of English football. The big clubs’ boasting of having frozen prices has been countered by people pointing out that prices were excessive already and that with a low inflation rate one would not have expected any increases! Several people have suggested that the answer for supporters who are fed up with being exploited by the commercialism at higher levels of football is to switch to supporting their local, ‘grass roots’ non-league clubs. They will find admission prices (and drinks!) much cheaper and can enjoy a good game of football in welcoming surroundings where sport is more important than commercial considerations.
Come along to Willen Road and experience the enjoyment of affordable local non-league football for yourself!
Forthcoming home matches (UCL Premier Division):
Sat 7 Nov: Harborough Town (3.00pm)
Newport Swimming Club
Success at Leicester Penguins
It was a fantastic start to the season for NPSC who competed for twodayspickingup10gold,13silverand13bronzemedals.Well done to all swimmers.
If you would like to join a friendly, competitive club please go to
npswim.co.uk, or follow Newport Pagnell swimming club on Facebook for further details.
Phonebox Magazine 85